Prom? Already? Already Over?

Prom? Already? Already Over?

A baby who always navigated the world in her own way, a scoot rather than a crawl.

A tiny girl with a white-blond cap of hair, standing underneath a newly identified crabapple tree: "Don't let the crabs out!"

A kid in elementary school, taking advantage of Montessori freedom to write cat stories with her girlfriends all day long.

A 10-year-old homeschooler, volunteering at the animal shelter.

A middle schooler, making a graduation speech in which she minces no words about the diappointments wrought by administrative changes.

A high school freshman, stiffening herself against almost unbearable loss and heartache.

A sophomore, realizing that she's "maybe smarter than I thought!"

A junior, reconsidering the above.

Friday, a senior going to her last high school classes EVER.

Last night, a girl with a prom dress and a date.

Tomorrow, back to the animal shelter, after an absence of five years, for a month-long senior project.

It was all too fast.

I love you, sweetie.